Family Fun – Best spots on Skye for little explorers
March 26, 2024
by MySkyeTime
The Isle of Skye offers endless opportunities for family adventures. With its jaw—dropping landscapes, exciting history and abundance of outdoor activities, Skye is the perfect place to create unforgettable memories with your intrepid little ones! If you’re planning a family trip to Skye and wondering where to go, look no further. In this post, we’ll explore some of the best spots on Skye to enjoy with kids.
History
Skye Museum of Island Life
Take a step back in time at the Skye Museum of Island Life and discover the traditional ways of life on the island. Situated in the picturesque village of Kilmuir, this open-air museum offers a fascinating glimpse into the past, showcasing a collection of restored thatched cottages, crofts, and agricultural implements that date back to the 19th and early 20th centuries and provide a sneak peek into what it would have been like to live on the island long ago.
Kids will love exploring the museum’s interactive displays and hands-on activities, which offer a fun and educational experience for the whole family. They can try their hand at grinding grain with a traditional quern stone, learn how to weave on a loom, or participate in a mock crofting demonstration led by museum staff dressed in period attire.
Throughout the year, the Skye Museum of Island Life hosts a variety of special events and workshops that provide further opportunities for learning and discovery. From blacksmithing demonstrations to storytelling sessions, there’s always something exciting happening at the museum.
Beach fun
Claigan Coral Beach
Drive ten minutes north of Dunvegan Castle and you will come across one of Skye’s most sought after spots for day-trippers, families and wild swimmers: Coral Beach.
Accessible via a scenic coastal path, this secluded beach boasts shallow crystal-clear waters, making it the perfect spot for a family day out paddling, rock-pooling and exploring. Rather than sand (or coral!), the shoreline is made up of tiny fragments of crushed calcified seaweed. Out on the reef, the seaweed sheds its former skin, which is then washed ashore in droves to form a stunningly white beach. The smooth white surface of the ‘coral’ means that when the sun hits the shallow water above, the shoreline turns tropically turquoise.
An excellent spot to set up for a day of exploring, the water is also perfect if you’ve got the gear for sea-kayaking or paddle-boarding. Be sure to pack a picnic and make the most of your time in this tranquil seaside paradise. It’s also worth noting that sheep weave in and out of the tourists here, so if you bring a dog make sure and keep your good boy or girl on the lead to avoid any issues.
Tip: the carpark near the path to access the beach can get extremely busy, particularly on the summer months! It pays to get there earlier and always be patient and courteous.
Jurassic Fun
Dinosaur Footprints at Staffin
For budding paleontologists, a visit to the dinosaur footprints at Staffin is a must. In fact, Skye is a hotspot for fossils, with 15% of the world’s mid-Jurassic discoveries found here!Species that have been discovered on Skye include: Stegosaurus, Megalosaurus, Cetiosaurus, Hadrosaurus, and Ceolophysis.
The best (and most accessible) place to see them is An Corran beach, just outside of Staffin. Here, these ancient imprints are preserved in flat rocks on the rocky coastline, offering a glimpse into the prehistoric world and provide an exciting opportunity for kids to learn about dinosaurs and their habitats. Take a leisurely stroll along the beach and see if you can spot them! The beach itself is beautiful so even if you’re not dino-obsessed, it’s a great spot for rock-pooling, climbing on the enormous boulders, building sandcastles or paddling in the beautifully clear water!
a living museum
Dunvegan Castle and Gardens
Dunvegan Castle is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland, and is a treasure trove of history and wonder for families to explore. The castle is still a functioning stately home for the MacLeod Clan and has been for over 800 years, which means that stepping into Dunvegan Castle is like stepping into a living museum, where ancient relics are displayed on a backdrop of fresh paint and modern fittings – it’s like visiting an extremely posh family member! Wander through the castle’s historic interiors, filled with artefacts and treasures that range from a magical flag to a lock of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s hair.
Dunvegan Castle’s award-winning gardens date to the 18th century, including the castle’s Water Garden, Rose Garden, Walled Garden and woodland walks. Walk through to discover an eclectic mix of flowers, exotic plants, specimen trees and shimmering pools fed by waterfalls and streams flowing down to the sea.
Outside, boat trips run from the castle grounds so that visitors can explore the waters of Loch Dunvegan, getting an especially excellent view of the castle itself and becoming acquainted with cheeky members of extended MacLeod family: the Loch Dunvegan seal colony.
South-east facing, with views down over the bay towards Mallaig, Loch Nevis, Loch Hourn, and the Knoydart hills, Ar Tearmann Cottage is the perfect island escape.
